


The Midnight Stranger

by andy_beloved



Category: Liveship Traders Trilogy - Robin Hobb, Realm of the Elderlings - Robin Hobb
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:00:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28451283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andy_beloved/pseuds/andy_beloved
Summary: Grag Tenira is a wanted Bingtown trader that has been hiding in his family cabin with fake walls that help him to remain living under the noses of those who search for him. However, a stranger comes in the night and puts and end to his routine.Days after receiving the Winterfest request all I remembered was "Grag/Jek, make it happen" so that was what prompted me to make it happen. I tried my best to make it fit into canon so this obviously is set during the Liveship Traders trilogy.
Relationships: Grag Tenira/Jek
Comments: 14
Kudos: 6
Collections: Winterfest - Rote Gift Exchange☆





	The Midnight Stranger

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Heart_of_gold_ass_of_dumb](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heart_of_gold_ass_of_dumb/gifts).



The bell rang in the silence of the night and Grag opened his eyes in alarm. Someone was crossing the footbridge nearby. The wanted Bingtown trader grabbed his clothes in a hurry and run towards the root cellar, facing the chill midnight air. He opened the false wall that gave way to the wine cellar, his usual hiding place when he received an unexpected visitor. They had never come so late before.

Grag glued himself to the wall with his heart thumping wildly. The sound of his own beating heart grew louder with every passing minute and unnerved him more when he heard the click of the door being open. Someone knew how to pick a lock and someone knew where to look for him. Grag peaked through the tiny hole on the false wall, but all he could see was darkness.

“I am alone” a voice said. A woman’s voice. Grag had never heard it before so he remained motionless, catching his breath for fear that she would hear him.

A light suddenly glowed in the dark and he was able to see a mass of long blonde hair caught in a messy braid. She didn’t seem to have lied about being alone. The stranger turned and Grag was sure he had never seen her before. The light of the candle in her hand revealed that the woman was tall, muscular and obviously a foreigner. What was she doing in his family cabin?

“I like games, but not of this kind.” The stranger was standing before him on the other side, as if she knew he was there. Then, her eyes met his and Grag knew she had found him.

“Who are you?”

He said it in a whisper, but the stranger caught the words as if there was no wall between them.

“I am a friend of Althea Vestrit.”

“Althea?” Grag moved the fake wall and got out of his hiding place. “Is she alright? Is she coming with you?” His treacherous eyes moved towards the open door.

“I am afraid not.” said the stranger. “Am I not enough?”

The forwardness surprised him. He tried to speak, but he didn’t know how to reply and the words were running away from him.

“Of course... Forgive me, miss. I didn’t mean to offend.”

The woman chuckled. “I break in your...” Jek looked around. “… house and you are worried about offending me?”

Grag stood with his mouth agape.

“Aren’t you a handsome one, Grag Tenira?” The stranger was obviously amused by his discomfort and pleased about having the upper hand in his own domain.

“You know my name, but I don’t yet know yours.”

The woman turned her back on him and moved towards the door, cloak floating after her. “If you must call me something, call me Jek. I am hungry.”

“Jek…?”

“Just Jek.”

There was a silence and the stranger repeated. “I am hungry.”

“Of course. I apologize.”

Grag moved towards the door and motioned for Jek to go first. She gave him an appreciative look and exited the root cellar. Grag guided her towards the cabin, but his eyes still looked around discreetly to make sure they didn’t have company. Maybe this strange woman was telling the truth. He opened the door for Jek and entered after her.

Grag stood in his bare kitchen and was reminded that there wasn’t much he could offer. Jek put the candle on the table and removed her cloak. She pulled up the sleeves of her shirt and Grag could see her well defined muscles. His eyes travelled from her arms to her strong waist bound by the leather doublet. He shook his head and grabbed wood to make a quick fire.

“Tea? Eggs?”

“Do I have a choice?”

The stranger teased him with a smile. He blushed with shame and received a pat on the shoulder.

“Tea sounds perfect. Where are the eggs?”

Grag boiled the water for tea and the strange woman named Jek prepared the eggs. There was a strange domesticity to the scene.

They ate slowly, with the candlelight between them on the small table. Grag couldn’t take his eyes off the intriguing stranger. Even though she didn’t look at him, Grag had the feeling that she knew he was staring and that she was relishing on that fact. When Jek finished eating she revealed the purpose of her visit.

“My mistress sent me to bring you this.”

Jek put something that looked like tiny bits of wood in his hand and Grag examined them. It was scales. Tiny detailed wooden scales that had a strange resemblance with the ones he had seen on the face of Rain Wild Traders.

“She also asked to keep an eye on Malta Vestrit.”

“Althea’s niece?” His eyebrows disappeared under the unruly red hair. “Why?”

“I am just the messenger.” The stranger gave him a look that made him doubt that very much. “I don’t ask questions.”

“Who is this mistress?”

“Another friend of Althea’s.”

That meant Althea wanted him to observe Malta Vestrit, but why? She never really seemed to like her niece that much. Was Malta Vestrit in danger?

He caught himself staring at the wooden scales in the palm of his hand and noticed Jek observing him intently when he looked up.

He gave an embarrassed cough. “So, what am I supposed to do with these?”

She shrugged. “No idea. The mistress likes her mysteries.” That didn’t tell him anything. “Do you know the Khuprus family?”

Grag quirked his eyebrows. “They are one of the most influential people in the Rain Wilds.”

Jek nodded.

“Make yourself acquainted with Reyn Khuprus.”

“Why?”

“I don’t ask questions. I deliver messages.”

This was getting frustrating.

“So, your... mistress sends you to bring me messages and expects me to obey without questioning?”

A tender smile graced Jek’s lips. “That is usually her way.”

Grag huffed and crossed his arms.

“There is another thing.” Jek stood up and offered him her hand. “I need to teach you how to dance.”

Grag didn’t move.

“I have been to dances before” Grag said.

“That doesn’t mean you are any good at it.”

Grag opened his mouth, stunned between surprise and insult. He would show her. He stood up in one smooth movement and laced his fingers with hers. He pulled her close with his free hand and felt her chest meet his body.

“Very well.” He smiled and they were so close that he could feel her breath on his lips. She was smiling too, very pleased with herself. He could also see that her ear was covered with wooden earrings of various sizes. Grag suspected that it was the work of the same hand that carved the tiny scales.

The Bingtown trader twirled the foreigner across the kitchen floor and they danced to the imaginary sound of a cheerful tune. The dance was like no other Grag had ever experienced. He was leading on the first half, but with no warning Jek took the lead. Grag tensed with the sudden change, but after the initial shock he felt himself relax and he let Jek’s hands and body guide him. It was a dance of equals and each of them took their turn to lead the other.

“You are a very good dancer.” He said, hoping that surprise didn’t show in his voice.

“It would be strange to be sent to teach you and be terrible at it, would it not?” She gave him a toothy grin. “Now, show me how you slow dance.”

Grag set his hands on her hips, feeling the curves of her body, and Jek put her arms around his neck, caressing the back with her fingers. Her face was so close that their noses were mere inches apart. He felt his cheeks flush and he could tell Jek was expecting that reaction. Her lips were quickly on his and he let himself enjoy it. He closed his eyes and moved his right hand to her cheek while the other motioned towards her back, pulling her closer. He felt her smooth tongue touch his and let out a moan. He stopped to catch a breath and dived into Jek’s mouth, taking the lead. It was like the dance in reverse. He heard a murmur of pleasure and surprise and couldn’t help but smile. Jek mirrored his smile against his lips.

“Tell me, Grag Tenira, would you like me to teach you something else?”

***

Grag woke up for the first time with a woman beside him. They were tangled up in each other’s arms and he felt her peaceful breathing against his chest. She opened her eyes and kissed his neck. “Good morning.”

He grinned. “Good morning, Miss Jek.”

They kissed, got dressed and reluctantly Grag accompanied his first lover to the door of the cabin and opened it for her.

“I might visit you again.” She winked.

Grag smiled. “I might like that.”

She waved as she turned to leave and Grag waved back until Jek was no more than a shadow against the dawning sky.


End file.
